What to Take and Not to Take to the ACT Test

What Not to Take to the ACT

Do not, we repeat do not, take the following items with you to the ACT test room:

• Cellphones and other electronic devices: Leave your cellphone in the car. You aren't allowed to bring it into the test room. One student we know was dismissed from the test because he accidentally left his cellphone in his pocket, and it rang during the exam. The same goes for other electronics, such as iPads, PC tablets, or anything else that can access the Internet.
• Books and notes: Take it from us: Last-minute studying doesn't do much good. So leave all your books at home; you aren't allowed to take them into the test room with you. (Just be sure to fill your parents in on this rule. We once had a student whose mother drove all the way to the test center with her daughter's ACT prep book, thinking the girl needed it for the test. The mom actually pulled the girl out of the test to give her the book, resulting in the girl's nearly being disqualified from the test.)
• Scratch paper: You may not bring your own scratch paper to the test, and you don't receive any scratch paper during the exam. Fortunately, the exam booklet has plenty of blank space on which you can do your calculations.

Surviving the ACT With Four Stress-Busters

Most people are tense before a test and often feel butterflies dancing in their stomachs. The key is to use relaxation techniques that keep your mind on your test and not on your tummy. To avoid becoming paralyzed by a frustrating question during the test, we suggest that you develop and practice a relaxation plan (perhaps one that includes the techniques we describe in the following sections). At the first sign of panic, take a quick timeout. You'll either calm down enough to handle the question, or you'll get enough perspective to realize that it's just one little test question and not worth your anguish. Mark your best guess and move on. If you have time, you can revisit the question later.

Practice a quick relaxation routine in the days before you take the exam so that you know just what to do when you feel panicky on test day.

Inhaling Deeply

Stressing out causes you to tighten up and take quick breaths, which doesn't do much for your oxygen intake. Restore the steady flow of oxygen to your brain by inhaling deeply. Feel the air go all the way down to your toes. Hold it and then let it all out slowly. Repeat this process again several times.

Stretching a Little

Anxiety causes your muscles to get all tied up in knots. Combat its evil effects by focusing on reducing your muscle tension while breathing deeply. If you feel stress in your neck and shoulders, also do a few stretches in these areas to get the blood flowing. You can shrug your shoulders toward your ears, roll your head slowly in a circle, stretch your arms over your head, or even open your mouth wide as if to say "Ahhh." (But don't actually say it out loud.)

Thinking Positive Thoughts

Any time you feel yourself starting to panic or thinking negative thoughts, make a conscious effort to say to yourself, "Stop! Don't dwell on anything negative." Then switch over to a positive track. For example, suppose you catch yourself thinking, "Why didn't I study this math more? I saw that formula a hundred times but can't remember it now!" Change the script to, "I got most of this math right; if I leave my subconscious to work on that formula, maybe I'll get it, too. No sense worrying now. Overall, I think I'm doing great!"

The ACT isn't the end-all, be-all of your life. Cut (yourself some slack on test day. You probably won't feel comfortable about every question, so don't beat yourself up when you feel confused. If you've tried other relaxation efforts and you still feel frustrated about a particular question, fill in your best guess and mark it in your test booklet in case you have time to review it at the end, but don't think about it until then. Put your full effort into answering the remaining questions. Focus on the positive, congratulate yourself for the answers you feel confident about, and force yourself to leave the others behind.

Practicing Visualization

Before the exam or during the break, practice visualization. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the test room cheerfully looking at questions that you know the answers to, filling in the bubble grids to the right answers, finishing early, and double-checking your work. Picture yourself leaving the exam room all uplifted and then getting your scores and rejoicing five weeks later. Think of how proud of you your parents are. Imagine getting an acceptance letter from the college of your dreams. Picture yourself driving a fire-engine-red Ferrari ten years from now, telling the Time magazine reporter in the passenger seat that your success started with your excellent ACT scores. The goal here is to associate the ACT with good feelings.

Don't practice visualization during the test; you just waste time and lose concentration.